Shloka 50

वाराहावतारः (भूम्युद्धारः) — Varāha, the Raising of the Earth and the Recommencement of Creation

Devanagari script

ब्रह्मरूपधरो देवस् ततो ऽसौ रजसा वृतः चकार सृष्टिं भगवांश् चतुर्वक्त्रधरो हरिः

Transliteration

brahmarūpadharo devas tato 'sau rajasā vṛtaḥ cakāra sṛṣṭiṃ bhagavāṃś caturvaktradharo hariḥ

Translation

Then that God—Hari—assuming the very form of Brahmā and being enveloped by rajas, set creation in motion; the Blessed Lord, bearing four faces, brought forth the manifested world.

Word by Word

• ब्रह्मरूपधरः: bearing the form of Brahmā
• ब्रह्मरूपधरः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ब्रह्मन् + रूप + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (ब्रह्मणः रूपं धरति); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम् (देवः/हरिः)

• देवः: the god
• देवः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

• ततः: then
• ततः: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (Adverbial modifier)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रमवाचक (then)

• असौ: he (that one)
• असौ: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: असद्/अदस् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन

• रजसा: by rajas (the quality of activity)
• रजसा: Karaṇa (Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन

• वृतः: covered, enveloped
• वृतः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: वृ (धातु) → वृत (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (क्त); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम् (असौ)

• चकार: made, performed
• चकार: Kriyā (Action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect); प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• सृष्टिम्: creation
• सृष्टिम्: Karma (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सृष्टि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• भगवान्: the Blessed Lord
• भगवान्: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भगवत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; विशेषण-रूपे (honorific epithet)

• चतुर्वक्त्रधरः: bearing four faces
• चतुर्वक्त्रधरः: Karta (Subject qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: चतुर् + वक्त्र + धर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (चत्वारि वक्त्राणि धरति); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम् (हरिः)

• हरिः: Hari (Vishnu)
• हरिः: Karta (Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हरि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (speaking to Maitreya)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: How the Lord initiates creation via guṇas and forms

Teaching: Cosmological

Quality: revealing

Cosmological Context

Creation Stage: Secondary

Cosmic Hierarchy: Brahmanda

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Hari, remaining Supreme, assumes Brahmā’s form and, under rajas, activates the creative function that brings the manifest world into being.

Vedantic Theme: Brahman

Application: Recognize divine immanence in functional roles and processes; cultivate reverence for creation as sacred activity.

Vishishtadvaita: The Supreme Lord can take up creator-forms and guṇa-functions without losing transcendence—unity with real plurality of modes.

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Hari

Bhakti Type: Shanta

Jagat Karana: Yes

Characters & Entities

• Hari (Vishnu)
• Brahmā
• Creation (Sṛṣṭi)

FAQs

What is the significance of Hari taking the form of Brahmā in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse presents Brahmā’s creator-role as a function assumed by Hari, emphasizing Vishnu’s sovereignty as the underlying Supreme Reality behind cosmic creation.

How does Sage Parāśara explain the role of rajas in creation?

Parāśara links creation to rajas—the guṇa of activity—indicating that when the Lord is associated with rajas, the impulse toward manifestation and differentiation begins.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu here?

Vishnu is depicted as Bhagavān who initiates sṛṣṭi by manifesting as Brahmā, aligning Vaishnava philosophy with the view that all cosmic functions proceed from the Supreme Lord.